My thoughts on
AC: Syndicate, so far...
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/TGAEC/discussions/0/451851477868149993/Let's face it:
AC: Unity is a beautiful-looking game if your PC can handle it - but, it feels too much like Assassin's Creed 2; AC: Brotherhood; and AC: Revelations.
Now enter
AC: Syndicate.AC: Syndicate runs better than AC: Unity (improved engine); can look better than Unity (if you have the PC to handle); and has way so more going on here in the gameplay department.
In AC: Syndicate, you can switch b/t the male or female assassin when roaming around the game-world, where each of which who do have a few of their own skills - Jacob is more action-y & straight-forward, while Evie is more sly + stealthy. Their interaction with each other is great, as its often funny, witty, humorous, and very entertaining. Easily, we've found the best lead character(s) in a AC game since Ezio in AC2 + AC:B.
For traversal, you now can hijack stage-coaches and also use those to traverse the game-world, instead of just constantly platforming and running around on foot. Not only this, you can do Progress far enough into the game (and it isn't that far into the game either), you can even use a rope-launcher/zipline combo item to traverse across building in a straight-line across and can shoot upwards to zipline you up a building real fast - which feels like a mix b/t the Batman: Arkham games' rope-launcher + zipline to zip around the game-world.
Speaking of Batman, now the combat system feels even more so like that of the Batman: Arkham games. Hand-to-hand combat has always been about timing & counters in AC games, but now it's much-much easier to attack multiple enemies; combat's paced being much faster & visceral; and the player can string lots of crazy combos together just like one would in the Arkham games. Throw this on top of all the old AC systems (which are still here) of assassinations. blending in environments, firing off-hand guns; and whatnot - you've found the best combat system that we've had in a AC game.
If you conquer an area from doing quests in a territory - then you can recruit NPC's from your gang (The Rooks) to help you out - they can give you items; join you in battle; and whatnot. This feels like an evolution of the AC: Brotherhood mechanic of recruiting + calling assassins to help you out, when needed. Your headquarters + base (once you earn it) is not stationary either; it's a train, which is constantly moving around the game-world!
Now, since the game has a leveling-system - you also should go into certain areas only when you're ready and doing a mission or side-quest within its level (the game will tell you what missions and even NPC's are what-level, depending on your skills)...unless you you want to be way out-leveled and want a heck of a challenge.
AC: Syn feels like it has evolved majorly, with all of the enhancements graphically (technically + artistically) & gameplay-wise that we've been waiting for in a traditional type of AC game since AC:B - and if it keeps up, this will be the best AC game easily since AC4: Black Flag.
